Airplane travel

Need some advice from those BTDT (been there, done that) mommas. My LO (little one) will be 8 months when we will be traveling requiring a 4.5 hour flight. What do you think is easiest/best/most realistic?...have my husband and I hold her, or get her own ticket and use the car seat? I will preface she is a pretty squirmy girl. Also any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Comments (9)

Just keep it simple.... hold baby. No need to worry or think. I’ve traveled several times with my kids as babies and it’s just easiest to hold them. I always have my Tula or baby carrier on my person that way I can easily get on plane and keep baby asleep or secure on me for as long as possible

Anyone in the airline industry will tell you the safest place for your child is in a FAA approved car seat. In the event of severe turbulence or God forbid a crash, a lap child becomes an unsecured object.

I just survived a plane ride with a 2.5 year old and a 5.5 month old. Feed on the way up for the ears. DS (dear son) slept and played the entire time, he was on my lap. DH (dear husband) was in the middle and DD (dear daughter) was at the window.

We also always buy comfort plus for a little extra room, and have lots of toys, snacks, etc. be over prepared and over organized so you’re not digging around in a bag for forever.

We went on a 5.5 hour plane ride when my daughter was 4 months old. We bought lap tickets but since the flight wasn’t full they let us have a seat for the baby. We brought the car seat and it was nice. I didn’t have to hold her the whole time and she slept most of the flight. I would buy a lap seat and ask when you get there if they have any open seats for your baby.

We went on a 5.5 hour plane ride when my daughter was 4 months old. We bought...

Posted
10/10/2018

We went on a 5.5 hour plane ride when my daughter was 4 months old. We bought lap tickets but since the flight wasn’t full they let us have a seat for the baby. We brought the car seat and it was nice. I didn’t have to hold her the whole time and she slept most of the flight. I would buy a lap seat and ask when you get there if they have any open seats for your baby.

I flew with my now 4yr old several times as a baby and the airlines were really accommodating at the gate, I think I only had to check the car seat once.

It’s way safer to have them in a car seat so it seems worth it to at least ask at the gate.

This will be lo’s 1st flight but my 3yr olds 7th, and my 5yr old’s 9th time flying.
I always opt for lap child and bring the car seat with me strapped to my carryon bag. I ask at checkin if it’s a full flight (only once it was) and proceed to ask if I can bring the car seat to the gate in the event the flight doesn’t fill before takeoff that I hope to use it inflight. I’ve never had an issue, it’s a win win. Easier for parents, safer for your child, and a happier child makes a happier flight for everyone.

The first time DS (dear son) had his own seat was during a 6 hr flight to Hawaii when he was 9 1/2 months old. It was a company trip so DH's company paid for him to have a seat. And it was HEAVEN! We had a place to put him down when he was napping, or when we wanted to eat something or he was just calm enough to be put down, and it meant we didn't have to check his car seat and subject it to tears and scratches. After that we started getting him his own seat on most flights. In 10 days we're flying with DD (dear daughter) her first time which will be 4 hours each way, and she'll have her own seat. For a shorter flight we'd probably hold her, but TBH nowhere we fly regularly is less than 3.5 hours away.

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